January 2020 Auto & Trucking Atlantic

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CARS • TRUCKS • JOBBERS

C-STORES • INSTALLERS • RECYCLERS

& trucking

WHERE TO FIND YOURSELF IN A RACING DRIVERS SEAT (STORY ON PAGE 24)

CARWASHES • SERVICE STATIONS DEALERS • GARAGES • BODY SHOPS

JANUARY 2020 $4.95

TAKING CARWASH TO THE NEXT LEVEL . . . (SEE PAGE 18)

2020 SHOP PREDICTIONS

(SEE PAGE 32)

SOPHIE PACE ATA PRIZE WINNER (SEE PAGE 41)

WIN PRIZES!!!

A RUST CHECK SWAG BAG OF GOODIES OR A STANLEY 123-PIECE SOCKET SET FROM NAPA!

CROSSWORD GUESS & WIN DETAILS ON PAGES 45 AND 46!

AND SO IT WAS: THE AUTOMOTIVE YEAR IN REVIEW (AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2020) OWNED AND PUBLISHED BY ALFERS ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING INC.

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Call us toll-free: 1-866-423-3939 Fax us: 1-902-423-3354 E-mail us: rob@autoatlantic.com Mail us: 51 Bethany Way Halifax, NS B3S 1H6

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SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER! Tow truck drivers are often the lifeline for many a stranded motorist. Slow down and show them some respect!

PUBLISHER / OWNER Robert Alfers rob@autoatlantic.com

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AND SO IT WAS: The Automotive Year in Review- From best-selling Canadian cars, to the hottest apps to that 5G lurking around the corner, the year that was, the year that will be. By Carter Hammett

EDITOR Carter Hammett carter@autoatlantic.com

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NEWS OF THE WEIRD – Just how much are you willing to pay for a parking space?

No, really…

SALES TEAM Dan Hillier dan@autoatlantic.com

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TAKING YOUR CARWASH BUILDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL – Whether it’s energy saving costs or retrofitting an older wash, how to get the most wish for your wash.

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THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT – PEI introduces new emission reducing guidelines.

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MARITIME STOCK CAR SEASONS TOPPED BY TRURO’S BLENKHORN – Racing writer Tim Terry reports on the year that was.

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AUTO AND TRUCKING ATLANTIC: PREDICTIONS 2020 – With telematics exploding, especially in fleet, and technical and business training poised for dramatic growth, Bob Greenwood predicts a stellar year for the aftermarket.

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MANAGER OF GANDER NL BUMPER TO BUMPER STORE FINDS PLACE IN AUTO INDUSTRY – After a false start, Steve Harris finally found his niche.

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DON’T SEND AIR SUSPENSION WORK AWAY! There’s an opportunity for independent retail shops to profit from suspension work, rather than sending it to the dealership.

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2019 – USI ATLANTIC CONVENTION AND OPEN HOUSE – And the winners are…

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ATA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER – Sophie Pace is this year’s recipient of the ATA and Retail Gasoline Dealers Association Scholarship Award.

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HAMPTON NAPA STORE OWNER SINCE DAY ONE – Steady as he goes wins the day…

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Meg Devries meg@autoatlantic.com OFFICE MANAGER James Somers james@autoatlantic.com Auto & Trucking Atlantic magazine is owned and published bi-monthly by Robert Alfers of Alfers Advertising & Publishing Inc. For advertising rates or information regarding Auto & Trucking Atlantic magazine, please call or write to us at: 51 Bethany Way, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3S 1H6. Tel 902.423.6788 • Fax 902.423.3354. Opinions expressed in Auto & Trucking Atlantic do not necessarily reflect official policy of Alfers Advertising & Publishing Inc. Printed and produced in Canada.

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WIN BIG! Rust Check Jacket, hat, touque and winter package, or a Stanley 123-Piece socket set from NAPA in our contests!! autoatlantic.com

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Letter from the Editor

SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER!!

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By Carter Hammett

HEY PAID TRIBUTE BY THE HUNDREDS. THIS WAS THE RUDE REALITY BACK IN NO‑ VEMBER WHEN DURHAM REGION ON, TOW TRUCK DRIVER TODD BUR‑ GESS, 56, DIED ON THE JOB WHILE HELPING A STRANDED DRIVER OUT OF A DITCH AFTER AN EARLY SNOW‑ FALL BLANKETED ONTARIO EARLIER THAN EXPECTED THIS YEAR.

Loved and respected across multiple communities, dozens of drivers lined the roads in tribute to their fallen friend.

When we think of first responders, we tend to think of the obvious: police, ambulance drivers, firetruck operators. But tow truck drivers are also first responders and it’s these guys who are among the first to respond to a road accident.

They often work on the side of the highway, maybe hitching a vehicle up for a tow, or perhaps changing a flat tire. Often underappreciated, sometimes even ridiculed as “car thieves with a li-

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cense” tow truck drivers can be a lifeline for stranded motorists. And the fact that they work in all weather conditions, at all hours and often at risk means they deserve your respect.

The Canadian Automobile Association estimates that as many as 100 tow truck drivers perish annually from work-related accidents. Numbers in the United States are similar with at least one tow truck driver death estimated per week.

According to a study earlier this year from the US-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, workers in the vehicle towing industry face an onthe-job fatality risk almost 15 times greater than workers in all other private industries. With data analyzing the deaths of 191 towing operators between 2011 and 2016, researchers discovered that an annual rate of 42.9 deaths per 100,000 fulltime equivalent workers (FTEs). Compare

this information to 2.9 per 100,000 FTEs in all other industries.

Additionally, the study unearthed that “motor vehicle incidents were the leading cause of towing industry worker deaths, accounting for 64 percent. Contact with objects and equipment (17 percent) was second. Men accounted for 97 percent of all deaths.

All Canadian provinces now have variations of “move over” laws that require motorists to slow down and proceed with caution while passing an emergency vehicle parked on the side of the roadway with flashing lights.

In Nova Scotia, drivers are required to slow down to 60 kilometres per hour or to drive under the speed limit if it’s less than 60 km/h when they witness a first responder vehicle pulled over with lights flashing. If the emergency vehicle is stopped with lights flashing on the side of the highway with additional lanes available for traffic, drivers need to move into another lane further away from the stopped vehicle if safe to do so. Drivers, however, don’t need to slow down or move over if the vehicle happens to be on the other side of the median on a divided highway. Fines for not adhering to the law begin at $350 for a first offence, although this fine can be higher if the case goes to court. In PEI, you can be fined up to $1,000 and lose three demerit points.

By far the slowest out of the gate with move over laws is New Brunswick. Shamefully, the last province in the country to add emergency vehicles like snow plows and tow trucks was in the process of passing the law as of this writing. It’s supposed to become law December 20.

No question about it: winter can be an extremely stressful time for fighting off unexpected weather, dealing with road closures and idiots on the road. But while you’re processing all that, please take a moment to remember the role tow truck drivers play in the automotive ecosystem: they risk their lives on a daily basis to make your life easier.

Happy New Year.

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2020 Predictions Feature

AND SO IT WAS: THE AUTOMOTIVE YEAR IN REVIEW (AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2020)

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By Carter Hammett

Y ANY STANDARDS 2 0 19 W A S A WONKY YEAR. WITH OVERALL CAR SALES DIPPING ON A GLOBAL LEVEL, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE ERRATIC POLITICS OF A CERTAIN GREAT PUMPKIN IN THE OVAL OFFICE, THE ‑AUTO INDUSTRY NEVERTHELESS UNDERTOOK SOME DRASTIC, FANTASTIC AND FASCI‑ NATING TURNS DURING THE PAST 365 DAYS. A few of these - interspersed with what to look out for in 2020 - are captured for your viewing pleasure here.

So what can be expected for 2020?

Well, for starters, we anticipate the coming year to be intense when it comes to emerging or enhancing automotive technologies which will be used by car companies to upgrade services using these advances. Indeed, more emphasis on customer engagement and interaction seems a sure bet. With innovations like car health tracking and automation in new finance plans, innovations keep coming.

While the jury’s still out on the inevitability of the self-driving car, AI-based systems are expected to have remarkable impact as new cars roll out.

The driving experience will also be enhanced through driver assistance programs and technical components like GPS, Bluetooth and WIFI. The mechanical sector is shifting its focus to platform-based services with upgrades in electrification and automation at all levels. From an innovation point of view, the industry is well positioned to

move forward and move fast.

Those are just a few of the items on our watch list. Let’s have a look at what 2019 offered and what we have to look forward to in 2020.

THE BEST SELLING CANADIAN VEHICLES IN 2019 2019 was a wonky year by anyone’s standard. In September, Scotiabank reported that, largely because of unpredictable US trade policies there has been a global retrenchment in business activity.

This has been reflected in an across-theboard reduction in manufacturing, trade and industrial production around the world. Meanwhile consumer spending in many economies remains constant and this has helped slow the descent in auto sales. Nonetheless, vehicle sales have continued to decline by almost six per cent.

In Canada, auto sales dropped by 3.9% by the end of the first quarter. Despite a relatively positive report in fleet sales, sales were only slightly offset as retail sales continued to decline. As of this writing, year-end figures were unavailable.

That said, over 5000 vehicles are sold in Canada per day.

Pulling up in first place, and outpacing the competition by shall we say, a lot, is the Ford F-Series, with 117,042 sales. This will be the 11th consecutive year the FSeries ranks number 1.

The number two spot is the Ram P/U with sales totalling 75,324, an increase of 11 percent. After a rocky start, Ram sales surged aided by a vehicle showcase that features the reliable Ram Classic. Ram’s market share occupies a quarter of the full-size truck market.

Landing in third spot is the Canadianmade Honda Civic which clocked 49,601 sales figures by the end of the third quarter. That marks a decrease in sales by 12 per cent. More bad news in that Civic sales are declining faster than the overall

passenger car slide.

In fourth place, and with decidedly better news is Toyota’s RAV4. With sales just slightly behind the Civic, total units are up 21 per cent, with sales jumping by 50 per cent in the previous two years.

With only 33,156 total sales in 2013, Toyota is cruising toward sales figures twice that by the end of 2019.

On track to hit record sales level for the tenth straight year in a row is the Honda CR-V. With sales totalling 43,464 Honda’s best-selling utility vehicle is doing just fine, thank you very much!

MEASURING THE STANDOUT AUTO BRANDS OF 2020 Social media monitoring site Storyclash.com is a European company that tracks social media across multiple platforms in various industries. Earlier this year the company launched a series called Industry Insights and took a deep dive into the top performing automotive brands in June, producing a revised list in September. The platforms reviewed were Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

They tabulated all interactions and fans from these platforms and ranked them in terms of the best performing automotive brands worldwide, which included: Mercedes Benz, which placed first, followed by BMW, Toyota, Porsche., Ferrari and Lamborghini.

In terms of sheer volume, MercedesBenz, BMW, Toyota, Citroen and Volkswagen scored highest when it came to posting the greatest number of items on social media.

Benz could be considered the most savvy so far across all platforms, but broken down things start to vary. On Facebook, Benz took the top spot, followed

by French company Citroen with Chevrolet in third.

On Instagram, Benz took the top spot again followed by BMW and Porsche pullautoatlantic.com

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2020 Predictions Feature

ing up at a distant third.

A bit of twist occurs on Twitter, which a lot of brands tend to ignore. In light of that, Tesla steps up to the plate and focuses tightly on this social network. Mercedes-AMG follows while Dodge lands in third place.

Automotive brands are among the topranked social media brands overall, so it’s obvious that social media is a natural for promotion and interaction with followers.

Facebook and Instagram remain the leading platforms but stay tuned as social media users tend to be a fickle bunch. Things could be very different by the end of next year.

APP-SOLUTELY COOL These days it’s all about connectivity. Your car is essentially a smartphone on wheels, which can be controlled by a hand-held device. But there’s still a number of cool apps out there that have been almost universally praised during the past year. Here’s just a few…

WAZE Waze is a virtual juggernaut amongst apps. It’s become the go-to mechanism for urban drivers in swelling urban areas. That’s because it can summon an immensely detailed map of virtually every city in the universe, including up-to-the minute info on everything from accidents to construction along your chosen route. .

GAS BUDDY If Waze is the urban driver’s go-to app, then Gas Buddy is the go-to app for people who wanna save loads on gas. If it supposedly saves you an average of $340 annually on gas in The United States, Australia and…oh yeah, Canada.

Bonus features include the fact that the app will identify venues with car washes and diners offered alongside the core service, which can come in mighty handy if you’re hankering for a burger fix on one of those looooooong road trips.

CHARGEMAP – (HAVE PATIENCE! IT’S ON

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THE WAY!) This free mobile app which boasts a community of 280,000 users lists over 220,000 charging points on an easy-to-use map. The app provides details like connector types and hours of access. Also features reviews and pix as well. And while it’s only currently available in Europe and the UK word on the street is that its coming soon to a phone near you!

CARS.COM With features like a payment calculator, and the ability to connect with dealers directly, cars.com is considered the go-to app for car purchases. You can search for both new and “previously-loved” vehicles in your area, including detailed descriptions of the car. There’s dealer profiles and a market comparison feature to demo what similar cars have sold for in your area. There’s a feature called On the Lot, which will provide you with an inventory of local dealers including any special offers they happen to have.

TURO This being the era of the “shared economy,” Turo was bound to happen.

This car-sharing marketplace app allows users to find alternatives to a rental car or earn money by sharing their own car. Feel like taking a spin in a specialty vehicle?

Look no further. Turo allows you to find a list of available cars with a few clicks of a button.

TELEMATICS & GREENER TRUCKS While progress is being made, the trucking industry still has a way to go before it fully embraces a truly eco-friendly position. But telematics are indeed a thing and a recent IBM report claims that this will play a major role in “revitalizing” the trucking sector.

The venerable company looks into its telescope and predicts that the scope of telematics has the potential to do virtually everything from decreasing truck speed around blind curbs to assessing issues for maintenance. The end result will be a de-

crease in accidents, fuel usage and litigation costs.

Vehicle monitoring is kind of a big deal at the moment but so is fuel efficiency and along with new efficiency standards, the industry will need to make a big turnaround and fast. Public taste is definitely leaning towards green and companies are jumping on the bandwagon shifting priorities to score environmental brownie points with a citizenry that’s quick to judge. Be on the lookout for newer, leaner, greener and meaner auxiliary systems and powertrains among other features being modified for the driver of tomorrow.

THE BUZZ WORD: ELECTRIC With Tesla leading the way, 2020 promises to accelerate the growth of electric vehicles. Teslas’s Model Y crossover built on the Model 3 platform has some competition from a range of vehicles offered by Volkswagen’s ID series, including a reimagined Microbus and a small hatchback. Be on the lookout for an expansion of mild hybrid programs and a range of new electric and hybrid offerings.

INNOVATE INNOVATE INNOVATE In October, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada announced the latest round of awards honouring the best in technology, safety and green innovation.

The awards include the Porsche: Taycan 800-Volt Architecture, which can process 100 kilometers of charge in a mere five minutes, fast by any standard. The Taycan is the fastest charging car on the market, which sets it miles apart from the competition.

Topping the technical innovation standouts, FCA’s blind spot monitoring and trailer detection which is used on Ram trucks wowed with its ability to detect the length of the trailer when connected. This in turn can notify the driver is another vehicle is in the blind spot which allows the driver to make safer lane changes while towing. Not to be outdone, Hyundai’s Blind Spot View Monitor is designated as Best New Safety Innovation for

2020 Predictions Feature

its 360-degree camera which can project a wide-angle view of adjacent lanes into the vehicle’s gauge cluster. “When the signal indicator is moved the centre of the guage display shows either left or right lanes so the driver can execute a safe lane change.

With a clearer and wider-angle view than outside mirrors can provide, this feature improves safety in traffic,” says the group’s press release. Congrats to all the winners and thanks for helping to make the roads a little bit better!

THE NEXT BIG THING? There’s no denying that Millennials have a greater sense of entrepreneurship as one of the shiny indicators of their generation. There are several upstart startups paving their way into the marketplace.

One of these, Rivian which just happened to secure some chump change to the tune of $700 million (from Amazon no less) is hoping to give Tesla a literal run for its money by dropping the RIT, first fully electric pickup truck before next year’s end. Watch for it.

BUILDING A BETTER BATTERY? Much noise was generated during the past year as sodium ion batteries were touted as “the new lithium.” However with the development of a new organic cathode, the stability and energy density in sodium ion batteries has potentially been greatly enhanced. Keep your eye peeled for more info about this emerging phenom.

DIGITAL REACH JUST GOT A BIT FURTHER…

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Job Descriptions in shops are changing as mechanics are rapidly becoming computer programmers and techies, since heavy investments are required by automakers to upgrade digital platforms which operate their vehicles.

A new release of vehicle updates that can be managed remotely was recently announced by BMW. Software upgrades to your car can now be performed with an experience similar to updates for your hand-held devices. Not to be outdone, GM is rolling out a new platform capable of meeting the bandwdith requirements of its future vehicle lineup that includes the capacity to perform Over the Air (OTA) updates.

DONALD TRUMP AND HIS . . .

STANDARDS? As of this writing The Big Bad Orange Guy south of the border is busy dismissing impeachment inquiries. There’s never a dull moment when Trump’s involved and that was exactly the case back in September when he was joined by a coalition of automakers after a lawsuit filed by the Environmental Defence Fund was launched that month.

At issue is whether the state of California has the right to establish its own greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards. The Trump administration plans to roll back national pollution and gas mileage standards introduced by the Obama government.

GM, Toyota, Fiat, Chrysler and others have teamed to stand beside the Trump administration. Siding against the Trump group is The Coalition For Sustainable Au-

tomotive Regulation, which counts among its members Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki, Ferrari and others who back California and endorse tighter emissions and fuel economy standards.

Trump has proposed freezing the Obama-era standards at 2021 levels.

Automakers are taking sides (and stands) since they want to understand what regulations they’ll have to obey as future vehicles roll off the lines.

Part of their political risk is not alienating consumers who may fall on either side of supporting their illustrious leader.

Furthermore technology investors, who are known for putting a few bucks into automakers’ product, are also at risk of being ruffled.

Companies like Chrysler, Fiat and Toyota tend to make more money off larger, less-efficient vehicles than a lot of their competitors.

In September, Trump announced his administration would seek to revoke California’s congressionally granted authority to set standards that are stricter than those issued by federal regulators.

The move followed an act by Ford, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen who signed a deal with the California Air Resources Board, the state’s air pollution regulator, which had been in conflict with the Trump administration for months.

The Trump administration claims that freezing the fuel economy standards will reduce the average sticker price of new vehicles by up to $2,700 US by 2025., That claim is disputed by environmental groups who state that those projections don’t include money consumers would

2020 Predictions Feature

save at the gas pump if cars got better mileage. A study released by Consumer Reports in August found the owner of a 2026 vehicle will pay over $3,300 more for gasoline during the life of a vehicle if the standards are frozen at 2021 levels.

California has 35 million registered vehicles, the most of any state. A dozen other states and the District of Columbia follow California’s standards.

LOOKING TOWARDS A 5G HORIZON And finally, no discussion about the future of cars can ignore the game changer that’s coming down the pipeline: 5G. For the uninitiated, 5G is, in its simplest terms, the fifth generation of wireless technology. There are claims that 5G will open a door through which will enter a network for future generations with higher speeds and faster communication amongst many devices.

5G’s expected to improve wireless networks in three domains.

The first, connectivity, which refers to the sheer number of devices that can

communicate with one another. By 2020 between 50-and-100 billion devices globally are estimated to be connected to the internet. The technology will enhance the ability to connect an innumerable amount of people to each other and the internet devices around them.

Latency is the second enhancement.

“Latency” refers to the length of time it takes for data to transfer across a network, and also the time between sending and receiving. 5G will reduce the current time of 50 milliseconds to a mere one millisecond.

Finally, 5G will introduce broader bandwidth. The assumption is that the downloading speed needed for 3D viewing is expected to usher in a new era in health care, education and entertainment.

The third 5G innovation will be the introduction of greater bandwidth.

That should enable the downloading speed needed for 3D viewing and other immersive experiences expected to revolutionize entertainment, health care and education.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that’s been floating around since 1999 and refers to physical objects, like cars and drones that are connected to the internet.

This is where things get very interesting.

As it relates to driving and especially self-driving cars, send and response times between devices will be practically instantaneous. The speed and scope of 5G technology essentially means that devices move on without the human component.

Because of these innovations, its estimated to enhance safety on the road saving 40,000 lives - at least in the United States-in the process.

Time-wise, it means reclaiming 20 days a year, while also highlighting other benefits including a reduction in pollution and traffic.

Needless to say 5G holds a lot of promise. It’s expected that 5G vehicles will start shipping in 2020 and start gaining popularity by 2022. That’s not far away. And like it or not, 5G is here to stay.

Time to get acquainted.

AUTOCARE RECOGNIZES SPECTRA PREMIUM AS ‘PROBLEM SOLVER’ FOR OIL PAN UPGRADE

Advertising doesn’t cost, it pays!

A person will ride in an advertised car, sit at an advertised desk, work on an advertised computer, and write with an advertised pen.

Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising does not pay.

Finally, when the person’s unadvertised business goes under, he or she will advertise it for sale.

We can help. Call us: 1-866-423-3939.

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Boucherville, Quebec – November 11th, 2019 – The Autocare Association presented an Import Product Award for the Best Problem Solver in the Import Cars or Trucks Category to Spectra Premium last Tuesday at the AAPEX 2019 in Las Vegas. The award acknowledges the improvement of the company’s aftermarket aluminum VWP36A oil pan for VW/Audi applications.

On behalf of the Spectra Premium team, I am thankful to the Autocare Association for acknowledging the importance of innovation in the aftermarket,” stated Eric Renaud, Corporate Category Manager, Aftermarket at Spectra Premium.

“Our team is dedicated to meeting our clients’ and consumers’ expectation of installing a durable product. One way to fulfill that commitment is to bring new exclusive features like the steel thread insert.”

Select Spectra Premium aluminum oil pans feature a steel drain plug insert design. This innovation significantly increases the life and function of the oil pan by providing increased durability while maintaining the OE drain plug specifications. The product development team spread the same award-winning improvement as the VWP36A oil pan across the majority of its aluminum oil pans. These upgraded pans include more than 130 part numbers across all makes and models. Trust your vehicle to Spectra Premium. (www.spectrapremium.com)

VISIT YOUR LOCAL ATLANTIC NAPA STORE FOR PRICING & INFO

Carter’s Corner

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BITS AND PIECES OF WHEELY WEIRD NEWSY STUFF COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE NET SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . . YER WELCOME DOG STRUCK BY CAR RIDES INSIDE BUMPER FOR MILES A dog hit by a car in upstate New York rode for 45 minutes wedged between the

broken bumper and the grille before the driver realized she was carrying an injured passenger.

Coco the shiba inu was being treated for a fractured elbow after being struck in Albany.

Rotterdam Police Lt. Jeffrey Collins says the driver knew she hit something and noticed the car’s damage but didn’t see the dog at first. She drove about 15 miles to Rotterdam before hearing noises and stopping to recheck her car’s front end. She called 911 after she saw the dog gazing from below the license plate.

“Saw something coming into the road, thought it was a ball, possibly an animal, struck it,” said Collins.

“Stopped, checked, realized there was some damage to her vehicle, but didn’t realize that the dog had been embedded almost into the front grille or front scoop of the car.”

A Schenectady veterinary clinic worker told WNYT-TV that 16-pound Coco “fit 14

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perfectly” in the space behind the bumper and was lucky to be alive. “I couldn’t believe she survived, to be honest,” said Noella LaFreniere of Hernas Veterinary Clinic, where Coco is being treated.

“It was like the perfect fit. She fit perfectly in that bumper and came out alive, and it’s shocking to us. Working with the animals all these years, it’s shocking.

She’s very lucky,” she said. Police located Coco’s owner.

“She’s a trooper, she really is,” said LaFreniere, as she held Coco. “She’s just so mellow and so good, and we can’t wait to do the surgery to get her better and get her home.

SCIENTISTS TAUGHT RATS TO DRIVE TINY RODENT-SIZED CARS Rats have mastered the art of driving — taking tiny rodent-sized cars for joyrides in a lab experiment at the University of Richmond.

The rats were trained to drive the minuscule automobiles with pieces of Froot Loops cereal — gripping a pair of handle bars with their paws and steering the plas-

tic car left or right, according to a New Scientist report published Tuesday.

In stunning videos of the experiment, the rats can be seen not only driving in a straight line, but reversing and doing Uturns in order to secure the sweet treat — suggesting rats are more intelligent than previously believed, scientists said.

The 17 male and female rodents were taught to advance their driving skills, with scientists placing the rewards at increasingly further away points around the box.

“They learned to navigate the car in unique ways and engaged in steering patterns they had never used to eventually arrive at the reward,” researcher Kelly Lambert told New Scientist.

The study also found the rats became less stressed as the experiment progressed — suggesting that, like humans, they get the same satisfaction we do when we perfect a new skill.

“I do believe that rats are smarter than most people perceive them to be, and that most animals are smarter in unique ways than we think,” Lambert said.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR AN OFFICE PARKING SPACE? Many say that urban development comes with a price, and most likely it’s the price tag of location’s or country’s real estate that gets literally increasing with progress. Hong Kong, a continuously growing economy in Asia, is a stark example of a progressive country with increasing real estate prices, and this story concretizes the hypothesis.

According to a report by South China Morning Post, a parking spot at The Center, a 73-story office tower in Central Hong Kong, was sold for a whopping HK$7.6 million or around $969,000 at the current exchange rates.

With that said, the said spot is now the most expensive space to park, according to South China Morning Post.

To give you an idea of how expensive his property is, let’s break it down to the nitty-gritty. At the price it was sold, the 134.5-square-feet (12.5-square-meter) parking spot costs around HK$56,505 per sq-ft or around $7,200 per sq ft. The average price of a Manhattan real estate is at

Carter’s Corner

$1,770 per sq ft, making the Hong Kong parking spot four times the price of a luxury apartment in New York.

South China Morning Post also mentioned that his price is more than three times the median home price of Hong Kong – a price that has topped global ranking for nine consecutive years.

The owner of the parking spot, Johnny Cheung Shun-yee, declined to mention who the buyer is in his interview with South China Morning Post. He only mentioned that he sold the last of his four parking slots in The Center to someone who has an office in the building.

SOUTH CAROLINA FORD DEALER OFFERS ‘GOD, GUNS AND AMERICA’ PROMOTION Fall is hunting season, and in the rural South, it’s apparently also a slow time of year to sell cars and trucks. And so, with one eye on past precedent and another squarely trained on its core customer demographic, a Ford dealer in Honea Path, South Carolina, has turned to a new promotion it calls “God, Guns and America!”

The deal? Buy a new or used car and get a Bible, a shotgun and an American flag in return.

Carolina Ford says it launched the promotion Oct. 1 and plans to run it through November as a way to gin up sales.

“October is a weird month in the car business,” general manager Derrick Hughes told the Detroit Free Press.

“It’s like the calm-before-the-storm type month. You’ve got to have something going. October is the slowest and November

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is the second slowest.”

The dealership, located about 20 miles south of Greenville, has said it’s not trying to make a political statement but is simply appealing to local residents’ religious leanings, patriotism and love of hunting. Upon purchase, customers are given a voucher and background check paperwork to take to a local sporting goods store. If they fail the background check or want to buy something other than a gun, the voucher can be used to buy other items.

If the giveaway sounds familiar, that’s because it’s happened before. This past summer, a Ford dealer in Alabama kicked off a Fourth of July-themed “God, Guns, and Freedom” promotion in which it, too, gave away a Bible, American flag and certificate redeemable for a shotgun to customers who bought a vehicle. The dealership in that case said Ford asked it to stop running its Facebook video advertising

the deal after a shooting at a Ford dealership near San Jose, California, left three people dead. But Ford made no public comment about that promotion, and it told the Freep that its dealers are independent businesses and that the current promotion in South Carolina is not being driven by the company.

On Carolina Ford’s Facebook page, commenters seemed split between wholehearted support — “You guys got some guts, and I love it.

God Bless you and the USA!” one commenter wrote — and disdain. One woman scolded the decision, adding, “Welcome to the origin of our next mass shooting.” It’s the inescapable culture war, playing out on its Facebook page. Perhaps not surprisingly, Carolina Ford did not respond to a request for comment from Autoblog, but the dealer confirmed the promotion was still valid.

At The Car Wash

TAKING YOUR CARWASH BUILDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

BITS AND PIECES OF WHEELY WEIRD NEWSY STUFF COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE NET SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . . YER WELCOME

I

By Timothy Hogue

N RECENT YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ADVANCES IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. There has been a much-anticipated revolution in the construction industry regarding materials as well as building design. Now we have drones, virtual reality, augmented reality, BIM, project management and more. It doesn’t stop there!

Researchers and various institutes are taking building technology to the next level.

New developments in self healing as well as lighter weight concrete, 3d printing, more efficient solar panels and various other construction materials has been ag-

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gressive and intense. These benefits may not be available in the near future, but there are advances in construction that can be realized today.

Due to these new advances and innovations in materials as well as construction techniques, there are many options to consider when either building your new carwash or considering remodeling an existing one.

INSULATION SYSTEMS Whether you are building a new carwash or remodeling, one of the main considerations is keeping your energy costs controlled. One of the main criteria affecting new commercial construction, as well as remodeling an existing commercial building, is the increased energy codes. These have been developed by the

International Code Council, a memberfocused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe, sustainable, and affordable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, build, and compliance process. Most communities and many global markets choose the International Codes, or I-Codes. Providing minimum safeguards for people at the workplace, the I-Codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety and fire prevention codes.

This latest version also references other codes and criteria which affect most North America as well as global markets.

This can affect many other items in the design of your new carwash building but the major issue is R-Value: How effi-

At The Car Wash

cient the insulation systems are that have been designed in the structure in order that it might have less energy consumption and become more energy efficient.

The main requirement is continuous insulation. This is insulation that is continuous across all structural members without thermal bridges other than fasteners and service openings.

It is installed on the interior or exterior or is integral to any opaque surface of the building envelope. There are many recent advances in exterior sheeting options that are available today that help you to meet the new energy codes by combing a vapor barrier, rigid sheeting, built in exterior rigid insulation, continuous air barrier as well as structural durability. Thus meeting the definition of continuous insulation. Since it combines rigid insulating

wash building or a remodel project. Magnesium board can be used as exterior wall sheeting, as a paintable exterior cladding treatment, as an underlayment in any wet area i.e. as an underlayment behind PVC for structural support. It can also be used in place of sheetrock in typical office areas, restrooms and any place where water is of concern. This board comes in multiple sizes and is easy for the contractor to install. It scores and snaps easily, lighter than fiber cement products, has excellent nail holding capabilities, and you can achieve a level five finish with less paint and materials.

foam and structural sheathing into a fabricated product that provides uninterrupted exterior insulation, air sealing, and a solid nailing surface for exterior finishes, many find it helps meet new code requirements in less time and with much less cost.

well as a great energy saver, is LED Lighting but not just any LED lighting but linear waterproof fixtures that have polymeric outer housings that provide superior waterproof capabilities as well as chemical resistance. This is especially important in the harsh conditions of the typical carwash tunnel. Installing these bright, linear LED lights is a great way to modernize an existing carwash.

These modern linear fixtures feature quick connect cabling couplings that allow a day chain connection which creates less hard wired locations and saves money on installation. There are many choices in LED lighting today but it is important to look for fixtures that have an embedded aluminum heatsink which provides ample cooling for a long lifetime and allows the fixture to operate in both cold and hot weather environments. The light output can range up to 12000 lumens as well as have efficiency up to 140LPW. The lights can be mounted on structural members or sidewalls inside the car wash building, on board equipment, on

MAGNESIUM OXIDE BOARD Another very exciting product available today and one that is a tremendous innovation in the carwash industry and should be used in every modern carwash building, whether doing new construction or a remodel, is magnesium board.

This product represents a dramatic shift in sheet building technology and has been designed to replace plywood, OSB, fiber cement and gypsum based sheet building products. The proprietary design and formula offers superior structural and highimpact strength, stiffness, durability and fire-resistance.

The interesting aspect to the carwash owner is that this board material is impervious to water, dimensionally stable when wet, structural when wet, does not warp, does not swell, and does not delaminate.

It is completely inorganic, does not mold or feed mildew, is termite proof, contains no toxins or formaldehyde and is paintable with any typical acrylic paint.

There are multiple locations that you can utilize this material in your new car20

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HIGH EFFICIENCY WATERPROOF LINEAR LED SYSTEMS Another innovative item that is purpose built for the carwash industry, as

exterior wall areas for accent as well as vacuum systems where certain types of LED can be curved or bent to match a desired profile shape.

BUILDING SYSTEMS Of course, when it comes to either building a new carwash facility or remodeling an existing one, there are many options regarding framing systems.

There is typical block construction, however this type of construction has limitations in design and is also becoming more difficult to meet the latest energy codes due to its poor insulative nature.

Wood construction, however it has obvious issues regarding a water intensive structure such as a carwash. Steel construction which is superior in structural integrity but can often be difficult regarding carwash design due to exposed fasteners and water retaining spaces etc. Modular construction is great in that the structure or additions will come in modules that can be installed quickly when located on site however they have design restraints due to transportation limitations. The module size must be limited due to highway dimensions.

Pre-engineered bolt - together tubular steel construction allows for great design early in the process while not having any of the typical issues with standard steel construction. These structures are designed and pre-engineered to meet the requirements of the site location. They offer great design and structural benefits while also having certain parts pre-constructed for fast erection, however some designs maybe more appealing than others when using this type of construction.

No matter what type of construction that you undertake, careful planning in your design, as well as coach of materials is most important.

Ti mot hy Hogue is the president of Modernwash Buildings and Solutions, MetronGarage and the Metron Group Inc. He is an industrial and architectural designer who specializes in automotive related buildings and structures. His buildings have been featured on Fox Business, as well as many architectural publications. He can be reached at tim@modernwash.net.

East Coast Road Report

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT NEWS AND VIEWS COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE ATLANTIC REGION KEEPING YOU SAFE AND OUR ROADS RUNNING NEWFOUNDLAND

PROPOSED CHANGES TO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT WILL ALLOW FOR FURTHER IMPROVE‑ MENTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY Amendments to the Highway Traffic Act to enable the use of image capture systems to help increase road safety on our province’s roads and highways were introduced for second reading today in the House of Assembly.

The proposed changes will allow for highway cameras to be used as a means of increasing compliance with the rules of the road and increasing safety for all road users in the province. The use of cameras can also help improve safety in construction zones and school bus zones.

Other amendments introduced include consolidating penalties for select offences to the schedule of the Act for consistency purposes, and the reordering of impaired driving sections of the Act for readability and understanding.

The Provincial Government has made a number of recent improvements to the Highway Traffic Act including increased fines and tougher penalties for a number of offenses such as impaired driving; amendments regarding excessive speeding, street racing, stunting and move over provisions; a new offence for driv-

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ing without due care and attention; and the introduction of a one-metre rule for cyclists and pedestrians. A list of recent legislative changes can be found in the backgrounder below.

These amendments speak to the importance of keeping current with changes in safety codes, vehicle design and other highway safety improvements, as well as responding to driving behaviours.

“Road safety has been a priority for our government and we have made a number of amendments to the Highway Traffic Act to accomplish this objective.

The introduction of legislation to allow for camera technology continues our efforts to help further protect the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said the Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister of Service NL.

NEW BRUNSWICK

CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN SOON ON COLES ISLAND BRIDGES REPLACEMENT The construction phase of the Coles Island Bridge replacement project will begin soon the provincial government announced September 19..

“Replacing the Coles Island Bridges is critical to ensuring the safety of Route 10, one of New Brunswick’s strategic re-

source corridors,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Oliver. “This project will also contribute to our action on climate change. New structures will allow for increased truck payloads, resulting in fewer trips and a reduction of GHG emissions.” Work during this construction season will consist of the preparation of two detour bridges to take the traffic off the existing bridges. This will allow work to begin on removing the current structures and the construction of replacement bridges in future years.

The detour bridges will be completed in 2020, while construction of the replacement bridges is expected to take up to three years to complete.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $45 million. The federal government will fund up to $22,062,000 through the National Trade Corridors Fund and the provincial government will fund $22,800,000. Provincial funding for this phase of the project is provided through the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure’s $493-million capital budget for 2019-20.

NOVA SCOTIA

GRANTS STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTA‑ TION IN URBAN AND RURAL NOVA SCOTIA

East Coast Road Report

Affordable, accessible and reliable public transit can make communities stronger. That is why government invests millions every year to help service providers maintain or expand public transit.

Through the Public Transit Assistance Program, government will provide almost $3 million to seven transit providers from Cape Breton to Yarmouth to help them buy buses, bus terminals and shelters.

Kings Transit Authority will use a $375,000 grant to buy new buses. These organizations have been receiving these grants since 2013-14.

“Government is committed to building stronger communities by making transportation more affordable, convenient and reliable, and by better connecting communities to each other,” said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leo Glavine.

In addition, 13 organizations will receive $245,000 through the Nova Scotia Transit Research Incentive Program.

These grants help communities develop ideas and plans for new and improved public transit in rural and unserviced urban areas.

Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton will explore potential public transit options using a $30,000 research grant to conduct a feasibility study and develop a business plan to explore transit options for Eskasoni First Nation.

“The Kings Transit Authority is grateful for the support it has received from the Province of Nova Scotia through the Public Transit Assistance Program.

This funding contribution will support planned investments in new transit vehicles and bolster efforts to improve the customer experience for our ridership in the Annapolis Valley,” said Glen Bannon, general manager Kings Transit Authority

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

ON THE ROAD TO REDUCING TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS Supporting more sustainable transportation in Prince Edward Island will help Islanders lower their impact on the environment, while encouraging more walking, cycling, and community transit.

PEI’s Sustainable Transportation Action Plan has 27 action items to be implemented in the areas of transit, vehicles, active transportation and community design.

“We know transportation greenhouse gas emissions have been on the rise and it’s time to reverse that trend.

At the same time, we are investing in our roads to help keep pedestrians and cyclists safer and we are looking at the big 24

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picture for sustainable communities over the long term.”

- Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Minister Steven Myers.

The Sustainable Transportation Action Plan will be implemented over five years. Over the coming months, government will be working with the opposition and third party to identify priority items for next year.

“While we put these key first steps in place, I will also be working with my colleagues in government, the private sector, and innovative energy researchers to come up with more smart changes on how we all get to school, work and home,” added Myers.

“This includes building more sustainable communities, finding efficiencies in school bus routes, and exploring Islandwide public transit solutions.”

URBAN AND RURAL TRANSIT ACTION ITEMS Action 1: Work with transit operators and community transportation partners to make transit systems safe, affordable and convenient for all users.

Action 2: Increase affordable, safe and inclusive community transportation services in rural areas.

Action 3: Promote and increase transit use through education and social marketing.

Action 4: Improve efficiencies and reduce emissions in the school transit system.

Action 5: Remove barriers to sustainable transportation for people with a low income.

Vehicles and Transportation Action Items Action 6: Work with municipalities and businesses to create a province-wide EV charging network of internet accessible, smart charging stations.

Action 7: Develop and deliver an EV and home charger incentive program to increase EV usage.

Action 8: Develop and deliver an educational campaign about electric vehicles, low emissions vehicles, and efficient driving.

Action 9: Establish a registration fee structure that promotes the purchase of lower emission vehicles.

Action 10: Develop a rebate program for retiring high emissions vehicles.

Action 11: Collaborate with the transport truck industry to administer efficiency education programs and explore technological advancements to reduce emissions.

Action 12: Work with local business fleet managers to promote efficiencies and the use of low and zero emission vehicles.

Action 13: Assess the provincial government’s light duty fleet and identify vehicles that are suitable to be replaced with electric models.

Action 14: Adopt provincial government procurement policies to increase the purchase of low and zero emission vehicles for its light duty fleet.

Action 15: Increase carpooling opportunities through additional infrastructure and public education.

Action 16: Provide options for provincial employees to reduce commuting distance, such as tele-commuting and satellite work sites.

Action 17: Monitor advances in technology and explore opportunities to electrify farm and marine transport, trucking and public transit.

Active Transportation Action Items Action 18: Develop a comprehensive active transportation plan and public transit plan for all of PEI. Action 19: Expand active transportation infrastructure, while improving safety and providing connectivity between places.

Action 20: Dedicate a percentage of the province’s transportation budget to maintain and create new active transportation infrastructure.

Action 21: Work with municipalities to develop and support active transportation plans that improve cycling and pedestrian opportunities.

Action 22: Provide and promote active transportation options for schools and seek opportunities for pilot projects.

Action 23: Require active transportation assessments for all new provincial government buildings to incorporate facilities such as bike racks, showers and other appropriate amenities.

Community Design and Infrastructure Action Items Action 24: Encourage development patterns that support active transportation and public transit by identifying built up areas for future growth and by establishing standards for subdivision and development design.

Action 25: Continue to improve road infrastructure (such as cycling lanes, wider shoulders, and roundabouts) to construct and protect right-of-ways for active transportation and public transit corridors.

Action 26: Revise legislation to enable the requirement to provide dedicated space for active transportation corridors.

Action 27: Ensure planning authorities consider the full range of transportation needs within their areas of jurisdiction.

Atlantic Racing News

MARITIME STOCK CAR SEASON TOPPED BY TRURO’S BLENKHORN TAKING TOUR TITLE

By Tim Terry

A

S IS THE CASE WITH ANY STOCK CAR RACING SEASON IN ATLANTIC CANADA, THERE ARE MANY THEMES AND PLENTY OF REASONS TO CELEBRATE. Over 700 teams battled it out in hundreds of feature events at 12 stock car oval tracks in our four Atlantic Provinces in the 23 weekend season. In the end, whether it is a first feature win, a hard earned cham-

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pionship or completing the year with the race car intact, there were many memories made between the Victoria Day and Thanksgiving Long Weekends.

At the top of the sport in the region, Dylan Blenkhorn was finally able to shake the monkey off his back by winning his first Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour championship. Blenkhorn, from Truro, Nova Scotia, knocked out three victories in 2019, including two of the first four races at Scotia Speedworld, taking control early in the year and staying steady throughout. Keeping him honest was Brudenell, Prince Edward Island’s Jonathan Hicken, who started in July with back to back feature victories to insert himself into the championship conversation.

When the chips came down in September at the Atlantic Oliver Tire 200 at Scotia Speedworld, it was Blenkhorn who would escape with the championship trophy. Hicken found misfortune with flat tires early in the 200-lap finale while Blenkhorn was caught up in a late race wreck, relegating the pair to finishes just outside the top ten in 11th for Blenkhorn and 12th for Hicken.

The final margin of victory in the standings for the No. 67 Quinn Flooring team was 26 points over the No. 5 Chapman Brothers Construction team.

Jarrett Butcher would edge Dylan Gosbee by three points to finish third in the season long championship standings with Craig Slaunwhite finishing five points up

on Shawn Turple for the fifth place spot.

Prior to the Atlantic Oliver Tire 200, Turple, a three-time series titlist, announced his retirement from full time competition in the series, finishing a 15 year racing career with the series when the checkered flag fell on September 28th.

When it came to big races on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, they were owned by Pictou, Nova Scotia’s King Racing and driver Cassius Clark of Farmington, Maine. Clark was dominant at Riverside International Speedway in July in his IWK 250 presented by Steve Lewis victory. A month later and shadowed by Blenkhorn, Clark was the winner in the 20th Annual Toromont Cat 250 at Scotia Speedworld. The team returned to Riverside International Speedway in September with Austin MacDonald, the grandson of team owner and Hall of Famer Rollie MacDonald. The rookie impressed at the high banked oval, winning a heat race and finishing fifth in his Tour debut.

Cole Butcher, the two time champion of the Series, scaled back to part-time competition in 2019 but on paper he never let off the throttle. Butcher won four races, bookending the season with wins at Petty Raceway and Scotia Speedworld while winning two races at Riverside Speedway in between. Butcher will spend his offseason from the Maritimes racing down south, already turning heads by sitting on the pole for the October running of the All American 400 at the Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville (TN).

When it comes to big moments in 2019, none may have been bigger than Robbie MacEwen breaking through for his first Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour victory. The No. 40 team won in front of a big crowd at Oyster Bed Speedway in the Lucas Oil 150 on the August long weekend.

The party in victory lane that evening was big as family, friends and his crew jammed around the MacEwen Motorsports car to celebrate the win on home turf.

“The Thrillmaker” Craig Ward captured the Exide Batteries Rookie of the Year Award over Russell Smith Jr on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. Ward stuck it out, finishing all twelve features over the season to capture the top freshman honors in the series in his 20th year of racing. The Riverview, New Brunswick team was the only team to compete fulltime on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour in 2019.

Outside of the Tour, Jonathan Hicken and Ashton Tucker found themselves with big paydays in big Pro Stock/Pro Late Model races in New Brunswick in the month of September.

Ashton Tucker scored a popular home track victory on Labour Day weekend, bringing home the McLaughlin Roof Trusses 250 at Speedway 660. Tucker, who races for Brad Silliker Motorsports out of Miramichi, New Brunswick, took the lead around the halfway point in the race from Cassius Clark and raced to his first 250 victory. Clark used a late race caution to rally to second after pit stop strategy played into the second half of the event. Brent

Roy, who captured his second RE/MAX East Coast Elite Pro Stock track title just a week prior, would finish third in the race for his first podium in a 250-lap feature.

Other SpeedWeekend 2019 feature winners at the Geary, New Brunswick included Curtis Collins (Sportsman 100), Shawn Hyslop (Street Stock), Tristin Harris (Sharp Shooters), Yves McCray (Atlantic Modified Tour), Dave Matthews (East Coast Mini Stock Tour), Braden Langille

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(Maritime League of Legends Tour), Colton Noble and Chase MacKay (Bandolero).

While Tucker racked up over $21,000 for his victory, Jonathan Hicken would top him three weeks later by taking home a cheque worth around $25,000 for his win in the Sixth Annual Mike Stevens Memorial 200 at Petty International Raceway.

After lap leader bonuses, contingency awards, the Bumper to Bumper Petty Pro Stock Challenge bonus and finishing money, Hicken would wind up with the biggest pay day in the Maritimes for stock car racing in 2019. Tucker would be a part of the equation in this race but an airgun jamming on their pit stop would leave them rallying late to a third place finish, behind Dave O’Blenis and Hicken.

Laurie Cormier was a winner for a second straight year and third time in the event history in the Sportsman division.

Cormier and Hicken were joined by Ryan Richard (Street Stock), JR Lawson (Mini Stock), Braden Langille (Legend), Doug Matchett (Atlantic Modified Tour), Gail Thebeau (Women on Wheels), Colton Noble (Bandolero Outlaw), Kelsea Lewis and Ayden Christensen (Bandolero Beginner) as feature winners on the prestigious weekend.

Some of the biggest news in 2019 was announced days into the calendar year when Greg Dowe purchased the oval in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Renamed Sydney Speedway, the new chapter in the storied history of the Cape Breton race track was written in July when stock car racing returned to the track after rain pushed the opener from the beginning of the month to the end. The event was anchored by the Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour with the Veterans for Healing Twin 75s, which would ultimately be won on both ends by eventual Series titlist Dave Matthews. The track would also hold INEX National Qualifiers on the weekend, won by Dylan Dowe and Austin Tanner in the Steve Lewis Auto Body Bandolero division and Danny Chisholm and Cory Hall in the Colbourne Auto Group Legend division.

The track closed the season with their inaugural Thanksgiving Thunder weekend, capped with a 100-lap feature presented by Robby’s Tractor Trailer Services.

The race was won by Laurie Cormier, who made the long haul from Riverview, New Brunswick to race in Sydney. Lynden MacDougall and Ryan VanOirschot joined Cormier on the podium following post race technical inspection.

Matt Vaughan raced to his second career Late Model Sportsman championship 28

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in 2019. Vaughan, a champion in his rookie year at Scotia Speedworld, captured the NAPA Sportsman Series championship at Riverside International Speedway. The highlight of his season was in July when he took home the NAPA Sportsman feature victory on the IWK 250 Super Weekend.

Lake Doucette Motor Speedway continued to build on the momentum of the past few seasons and expanded their schedule in 2019 to include a major Sportsman event for the first time in nearly a decade. The Riverside Lobster International 100 was won by Yarmouth, Nova Scotia’s Steve MacPhee with Scotia Speedworld regular Travis Roma and Paul Morris joining MacPhee on the podium.

Track champions included Rachelle Muise (Four Cylinder Ladies), Nic Doucette (Four Cylinder Mens), Kyle Hines (Sportsman) and Shaun Burke (V8 Stock).

Valley Raceway, the Annapolis Valley’s only dirt oval, completed their 2019 season with lots of excitement from flag to flag. Kyle Bent (Four Cylinders), AJ Watton (Trucks), John Bent (Eight Cylinder) and Rick Balsor (Modified) all emerged when the dust settled in October with championships.

Nova Scotia’s only weekly operating race track also had plenty of great races throughout the 2019 season. Scotia Speedworld’s CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series crowned seven champions, with only one driver repeating their title earned the year prior. Colton Noble (Bandolero Outlaw) was the only driver to win in back to back years in the same division, while Gage Gilby (Bandolero Bandit) brought home a second straight title in a Bandolero after a Beginner title in 2018. Emily Chisholm (Bandolero Beginner) scored a very popular championship victory, continuing the Chisholm family legacy.

Deven Smith was dominant in the Late Model Sportsman division at Scotia Speedworld, not only winning the championship but also the Sportsman 100 and the Shriners Classic. Andrew Lively was a model of consistency en route to his first Legend car championship, winning the division without a feature victory. Jesse Deveau (Thunder) and “Rational” Richard Drake (Lightning) bested the field in their respective Four Cylinder divisions.

Oyster Bed Speedway added two semi-regular divisions in 2019 with the Legend and Bandolero classes picking up more races at the Prince Edward Island track. Kyle MacEachern (Legend) and Danny Chisholm (Bandolero) each took home track titles. Matt Palmer and

Troy Burke tied for the Pro Stock track championship at Oyster Bed Bridge oval.

Alex Sheehan drove to a convincing Street Stock championship victory. Shane Bridges held off Jamie Ronaghan for the Four Fun title while Matt Watson returned to his roots with a season long title at his home track.

Chris Wilson lived a lifelong dream by winning a track championship at his

home track of Speedway Miramichi. Wilson took home the Street Stock title at the track, clinching the title in the Very Best Fall Shootout 100 in October. The 100lap Street Stock finale was won by Justin Cole, winning $3,200 for his efforts in the event. Joe Hoyt (Modified), JR Lawson (Mini Stock), Robert Legere (Dukes) and Kevin Tucker (Demolition) also found themselves with season long track titles to

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celebrate at the end of the North Shore season.

Jordan Veinotte made the long haul each race to Petty International Raceway worth it by winning the AE McKay Builders Late Model Sportsman championship at the River Glade, New Brunswick oval.

He celebrated alongside Michael Cormier (Street Stock), Lawson (Mini Stock), Noble (Bandolero Outlaw), Christensen (Bandolero Beginner), McCray (Modified) and Paula Evans (Women on Wheels) as champions for 2019.

Before they went on to win their respective SpeedWeekend 2019 features, Curtis Collins and Tristin Harris each won their first track championships at Speedway 660 in their divisions. Collins took home the Martins Home Heating Sportsman title while the rookie Harris was the top Fredericton Gun Shop Sharp Shooter. Brent Roy is now a three-time track champion after winning the RE/MAX East Coast Elite Pro Stock title. Chris Hanley edged out Roger Slocum for the DMR Auto Street Stock crown. Among big race winners included Courtney O’Blenis in the Ricky Bobby Street Stock 150 and Mike Weagle in the inaugural Gunslinger Sharp

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Shooter 50.

The Shediac CENTRE For Speed only ran one race event all season long but it was a big one with the annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships taking place a week later than expected in October.

Winners included Lonnie Sommerville (Pro Stock), Brady Creamer (Sportsman), Brandon Carter (Street Stock), Dave Matthews (Mini Stock), Steve Matthews (Four Fun) and Danny Chisholm (Bandolero).

Newfoundland’s two stock car ovals are also coming off great seasons over the past few months. Wayne Walsh leads the list of champions, taking home another NASCAR Whelen All American Series Division I Provincial championship with his win in the Eastbound Park Sportsman division. Kevin Lane was the Division II NWAAS champion by taking the Hobby Stock class in 2019 at Eastbound.

Michael Neary dominated the Legend division while Joey Arsenault captured the Bandolero championship at the Avondale, Newfoundland track. In Central at Thunder Valley Speedway, Colan Chranofsky (Hobby Stock), Josh Collins/Todd Moss (Sportsman) Tristen Hunt (Bombers) and Jacob Lawrence (Bandolero) took home

season long victories with their championship hardware.

Maritime touring divisions also saw successful seasons with lots of edge of your seat action. Braden Langille and Craig MacDonald dominated by the Maritime League of Legends Tour with Langille taking the championship on the strength of six victories in ten races. Brandon Skidmore returned to the Atlantic Modified Tour to win his second touring championship of his racing career. Dave Matthews finally checked off one of the only remaining boxes on his list by taking the Passione Flooring & Interiors East Coast Mini Stock Tour.

With the racing season and most season ending award banquets in the rearview mirror, the focus now shifts to 2020.

Most tracks and series will release full schedules in the early months of 2020 with rules meetings and information sessions taking place over the winter months.

If you missed the chance to cheer on your favourite short track heroes this past season, be sure to keep tabs here in coming issues to check out schedules and dates for the next season of action packed excitement!

Bob’s Business Development

AUTO AND TRUCKING ATLANTIC – 2020 PREDICTIONS

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By Bob Greenwood

HE AFTER‑ MARKET DIS‑ RUP TION IS WELL UNDERWAY AND THE SHOP OWNERS THAT ARE ON TOP OF THIS DISRUPTION UN‑ DERSTAND THEY MUST PAY ATTEN‑ TION OR THEIR OWN BUSINESS WILL SUFFER DRAMATICALLY. This disruption will continue and become dramatic in 2020 as the “new aftermarket” falls into place. There are things in 2020 that will excel and every owner must understand the topic in depth and “how” it will affect their business.

Consider the following: - Telematics will continue to grow especially in the fleet business as it gives

the managers of the fleet key data on each vehicle which in turn assists them to manage the vehicle for safety, reliability and efficiency which in turn saves the company money. Are you looking after their vehicles professionally? Every shop owner should examine their relationship with their fleet clients and look for new potential fleet clients explaining to them the “values” your business brings to them.

Are you on top of the Telematics topic?

- Ride sharing and advance vehicle service requirements will continue to 32

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grow in 2020 meaning your future client base will be different. Are you preparing now for a change in clientele such as picking up more fleet business to replace the shrinking consumer business?

- Who owns the vehicle data will be the key fight the aftermarket will have as it heats up in 2020. The aftermarket must do a better job educating the consumer on this topic. My clients who have started this conversation with their clients have shocked their clients as the client had no idea what the OE could read from their vehicle. The aftermarket must have access to this info as well but the consumer should be giving you “permission” to see the data so you can counsel them properly on their vehicle. Governments must be lobbied and fully educated on this issue so the consumer (who owns the vehicle) is protected. The OE wants the aftermarket locked out. Aftermarket shops must get involved with various associations to help them get to the government properly.

Don’t sit on the sidelines in 2020, become an activist to insure this topic is handled properly.

- Shop owners are starting to understand that the Trade days are over and the aftermarket shop service business has become a Profession. This means shop owners in 2020 will continue to learn the necessity of learning “how” to become their businesses CEO. This is a new position for every shop owner as it replaces them in the business so the CEO can elevate to truly managing the business from every aspect. It also allows the CEO to study the industry and “how” the disruption is going to affect their business. The shop must stay ahead of the wave of disruption otherwise they will get buried which will affect every family that is working in the business. The owner (CEO) has more weight of responsibility than ever before on their shoulders, so everything potentially affecting must be taken seriously.

- Look out in 2020 as technical and business training continues to grow dramatically. Technicians now require a

minimum of 100 hours of training (development) per year as the “software” and “electrical” platforms of the vehicle grows.

Electrical training must be on top of the list as this vehicle development will become more prominent during the year. Watch for governments (Federal and Provincial) to implement incentives to go electric as part of their environmental promises in their past elections. Management must be up to date in their training as well with 6 to 8 days per year now required as shop measurements have changed a lot in order to address this disruption and how all this change is going to affect the business.

Every CEO, shop manager and service advisor must understand this new math and selected internal processes that have now changed or you will lose clients and NET profit will disappear rapidly.

- Access to vehicle data, originally agreed to under Right to Repair will heat up more in 2020 as new software hits the vehicle. Where do you get the information you need? Are we up to date in when and how to reflash a vehicle? Do we clearly understand the details of the NASTF.org website and how it works to give us the information we need. Does everyone in the shop understand “when” they should be going to that website?

2020 is going to be an exciting and very challenging year for the aftermarket.

The shops that have stayed up to date on the changes entering the aftermarket will enjoy a better year than last. Shops that have to catch up due to their apathy on the disruption topic are going to experience a very stressful year to the point where some will just give up and get out of business. Watch, those owners will be over 50 years old. This new “Profession” is something they just don’t want to grasp.

Plan your business properly for 2020 and first quarter of 2021. Put datelines to your changes and objectives to be achieved. This keeps you and the team accountable; one step at a time and one focus at a time. Keep the entire team fully up to date as to what and why things are and must change getting their input as well as you go along.

Hold on for the 2020 ride as it will be like never before in the aftermarket. Insure you and your shop will be or continue excelling by the end of the year.

Around the Atlantic

MANAGER OF GANDER, NL BUMPER TO BUMPER STORE FINDS PLACE IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

By Pat Lee

S

OMETIMES YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO MAKE LEMONADE WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, SOMETHING STEVE HARRIS KNOWS ONLY TOO WELL. Harris of Gander, NL, had trained to be an auto mechanic but found the job market tough after graduation.

“Back in the late ‘90’s you couldn’t get a mechanic’s job,” he remembers.

After working for a bit in Nova Scotia, then back in his native Newfoundland, including a stint in the aerospace industry before that dried up too, he was finally on the path to the career he now enjoys as manager of a Bumper to Bumper auto parts dealer.

Harris said he worked his way up from doing deliveries, to working behind

the counter at a NAPA-affiliated shop, to being promoted to manager at Newhook’s Auto Parts in Gander about a decade ago.

“I had to look for a way to stay in the automotive industry,” the manager said. He hasn’t looked back since. A few years ago the opportunity for the parts dealer to join the Bumper to Bumper network arose, a move Harris was keen to see happen. He said he knew it was the right move for the business having experienced the benefit of being part of a network while working at a NAPA store. “I talked to the owner (Rex Freake) and said, this is our opportunity to grow within the industry.

“I looked at it as a win-win situation because before that we didn’t have an identity. From community to community, province to province, nobody really knew who we were, except the people in our community. So that’s why we switched over. It gives us stronger brand recognition.”

Bumper to Bumper is a Canadian auto parts distributor that has been in business for 50 years. Better known in western Canada, Bumper to Bumper is one of the

country’s largest auto parts networks with 72,000 square meters of warehouse space in 160 stores and 4,000 affiliated mechanical shops. Harris said being part of the Bumper to Bumper network also gives them a competitive edge in purchasing in order to sustain the large inventories now required in the industry.

“One of the biggest changes is how much inventory you need to have now to supply people,” he said. “Inventory is key. The ones who have the inventory are the ones who win.”

The parts dealer serves a wide community beyond Gander with clients coming in from up to two hours away as well as serving garages in many far-flung small communities.

Harris also helps out at Lewisporte Auto Supplies in Lewisporte, also owned

by Freake. The father of two boys said he still likes to tinker with his vehicles but is happy to have found his place in the industry even if he’s not working under the hood. “I like the fact that it’s challenging and things are changing so much. You can never say you know it all.”

ASSISTANT MANAGER ANDREW COLE, LEFT, WITH MANAGER STEVE HARRIS AT NEWHOOK’S AUTO PARTS IN GANDER, NL, PART OF THE BUMPER TO BUMPER NETWORK OF AUTO PARTS DEALERS.

AVAILABLE NOW AT YOUR LOCAL ATLANTIC NAPA STORE!

Rust Control

BODY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM TO FIGHT CORROSION

H

AVE YOU TAKEN A CLOSE LOOK AT YOUR EQUIPMENT LATELY? IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, IF YOUR EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN IN USE FOR EVEN JUST A FEW YEARS, THE FIRST SIGNS OF DETE‑ RIORATION HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO APPEAR IN THE FORM OF CORRO‑ SION - UNLESS OF COURSE YOU’VE TAKEN PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO PROTECT YOUR EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES FROM RUST.

It is a fact that we live in one of the most corrosive environments on earth. In addition, the use of de-icing chemicals on our roads are at an all-time high. Without proper protection, equipment and vehicles can rust rapidly even in warm weather. This results in expensive breakdowns, electrical failure and compromised vehicle safety.

There are many challenges in main-

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taining vehicles from a corrosion point of view such as shrinking budgets for maintenance, increased requirements for vehicles to be in service and improper or non-existent washing/cleaning of vehicles. Corrosion protection or Body Maintenance is much more than undercoating or rust proofing.

Good corrosion protection is based upon removing moisture from the surface of metal and leaving behind a film that will bond to the metal to repel moisture and prevent corrosion.

Krown’s program addresses cleaning issues as an important factor in proper corrosion protection and we’ve recently introduced a product that is specifically designed to combat the Calcium and Magnesium Chlorides that are being used in pre-wetting/de-icing applications, it is called Salt Eliminator. This product can be added in to either a pre-washing of the vehicle or it can be part of the service that Krown performs.

Krown Rust Control is Canada’s leader in rust protection and body maintenance.

Krown is a unique, environmentally

friendly product that contains no toxins, no solvents and is non-flammable. The Krown product remains active providing the best protection available against corrosion. Not only does the Krown product protect metal surfaces, but it also lubricates moving parts, and repels moisture from electrical components contributing to fewer electrical breakdowns. Krown customers consistently report reduced maintenance costs and money saved in downtime and replacement parts.

In business since 1986 and with more than 250 locations, Krown is the only company of its kind that annually certifies its technicians and that has a nationallybacked, life-time corrosion warranty. The Krown product consistently outperforms all competitive products which is why we protect more vehicles and equipment than any other company in Canada.

Many of our locations offer mobile services and work along with fleets and companies of all sizes. Why not speak to a Krown representative today to see how Krown can protect your investment and start saving you money today.

In The Garage

DON’T SEND AIR SUSPENSION WORK AWAY! THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDEPENDENT REPAIR

SHOPS TO PROFIT FROM AIR SUSPENSION WORK, RATHER THAN SENDING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP.

M

By Arnott

ORE AND MORE LUXU‑ RY CARS, SUVS, AND TRUCKS COME WITH STANDARD OR OPTIONAL AIR SUSPENSION THESE DAYS.

It’s unfortunate, then, that a lot of aftermarket shops consider this kind of work to be out of their wheelhouse.

Whether they’re just unfamiliar with the technology or they just don’t see a lot of this kind of work, they seem only too happy to send it to a dealership for repair or service.

But air suspension work is going to become even more common, as carmakers rely more heavily on a technology that can offer their customers superior ride quality, increased safety, and load-leveling capability. According to consulting firm Markets & Markets, the air suspension market is projected to reach $8.4 billion by 2025. Clearly there’s an opportunity for independent repair shops to profit from air suspension work, rather than sending it away.

This is especially true given that the first time an air strut needs replacing is typically just after the vehicle’s warranty has ended. With vehicles now lasting over 10 years, most vehicles with air springs may need them replaced two or three times in their lifetime. Depending on driving style, road conditions, climate, and the type of vehicle, air suspension components may start to wear out at around 120,000 kilometers or sooner.

Servicing air suspension systems can be easier than many shops and technicians realize. If a technician can service brakes or traditional suspension systems, they already have the skill set needed to repair air suspensions. And with problemsolving engineering, some aftermarket options, like the rear air springs for Mercedes-Benz W211 E-class, can actually be easier to install than the OE parts, giving even more opportunity for shop profit.

Because air suspension units can experience failures in multiple areas, ac-

AIR SPRINGS MUST BE CAREFULLY CRIMPED DURING MANUFACTURING TO PREVENT LEAKS.

curately diagnosing problems can be the first point of profit for shops. Included below is a list of air suspension inspection basics that can serve as a useful guide for repair shops looking to take on this lucrative diagnostic work. * A shop should inspect the vehicle’s air springs and air struts with every visit after about 100,000 km. Excessive oil leaking from the shock portion of the strut may indicate a failing damper. Shops should be aware that uneven tire wear may not only indicate an alignment issue, but may be from an air suspension problem. * Technicians should look for tiny cracks on the air spring, particularly around where the bag folds upon itself.

If these cracks are developing, the soap and water spray test should be used. A mixture of a tablespoon of dish soap to one quart of water, sprayed from an allpurpose spray bottle, can be used for detecting a leak by looking for emerging bubbles. * A clean rubber air spring will extend the life of the bladder. After spraying it to test the air spring, it should be cleaner since the soapy water solution may loosen and help rinse away debris, road grime and oils. Hosing off the soap will help complete this cleaning. Technicians should look for rub marks on the air spring or on any visible air lines. Rubbing may come from aggressive driving, driving over rough terrain, or if parts – including airlines and airline fasteners – are loose. ‑* If possible, the air suspension compressor’s dryer should be replaced each time an air spring is replaced. A leaking air spring may allow moisture to enter the system, causing damage to the system.

A leaking air spring may also cause the

compressor to overwork and eventually burn out. And if the vehicle comes in with a dashboard suspension warning light, or the compressor is not operating, the technician should check the air suspension fuses and compressor relay. * When replacing a non-operative compressor, it’s vital that the technician perform the soapy water test to look for the leak that caused the original problem. Most commonly, the leak is on the air spring, but it could also be from a loose or failing airline fitting on the spring or strut, valve block, air tank reservoir or compressor. You’ll also want to make sure you replace the air suspension compressor relay.

If air suspension failure is detected, replacing the leaking air spring (if possible) or the entire strut with a remanufactured unit will restore original OE damping and auto leveling functionality of a vehicle with active damping.

Shops can also now replace a leaking air strut with a new passive aftermarket part which provides auto leveling and excellent ride comfort, but does not require any core handling.

Otherwise, shops can recommend installing a coil spring conversion kit – abandoning air suspension all together.

Conversion kits can provide an aging vehicle with additional years of troublefree suspension use because it replaces the aging air suspension’s air springs with coil steel springs and the older worn shocks with new custom-valved shocks designed to work with the steel springs.

Determining repair options for customers largely depends on the customer’s budget, the age and mileage of the vehicle, whether or not the customer uses their semi-active dampers and whether or not the vehicle has true active damping.

Reviewing these points with customers will enable shops to make the best recommendations.

The bottom line, though, is that replacing air springs is not a job only for OE technicians at dealer service departments. Independent shops can get in on this profitable work with a minimum investment in tools and training. autoatlantic.com

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37

Around the Atlantic

2019 USI ATLANTIC CONVENTION / OPEN HOUSE

U

NI-SELECT ATLANTIC HELD ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL MEMBERS CONVENTION/ OPEN HOUSE FROM OCTOBER 17TH TO OCTOBER 20TH AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED CROWNE PLAZA IN MONCTON, NB.

On Day 1 the annual jobber meetings were held followed by a nice casual buffet dinner, followed by a pub tour downtown Moncton.

On Day 2 jobbers met for a series of supplier presentations given by Raybestos, BlueStreak, Surwerx, Valvoline, Henkel/ Loctite, Delphi, Gates, Spectra Premium, DV Systems, Shell, DRiV, Private Brands

& Dorman.

That evening they held their Awards Banquet where Jeff Austin, Regional Sales Director & Meaghan Bennett, Marketing & CCR Manager handed out several Supplier Awards. They also held their Silent Auction raising over $3,300 to go towards the Canadian Cancer Society. Followed by entertainment from the “Scarlett Band”.

The Following Suppliers were recognized for achieving the highest sales growth in the past year: Application Parts: Awarded to Gates, accepted by: Tyler Brown & Daryl Cleroux.

Non-Application Parts: Awarded to Shell accepted by: Guy Belanger & Ray Smith.

The Uni-Select Atlantic Division membership Voted to recognize the top 3 Re-

gional Sales Representatives for outstanding support: Mark Woodburn- Raybestos Steve Stockdale- J.D Coyle Sales Eric Allen- Mevotech Finally, the division’s highest honour, an Award of Excellence was presented to DNS in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments in fill rate, lead times, product support, and inventory Management. John Coyle, and Steve Stockdale accepted the award on behalf of DNS. On Day 3 they held their Annual Open House at the USI Moncton Distribution Center in their warehouse.

There were 72 Supplier booths and over 150 Members & Installers walked the floor. USI would like to thank all the Suppliers, Members, and Installers for their continued support.

ERIC ALLEN - RECOGNITION AWARD APPLICATION PARTS: AWARDED TO GATES, ACCEPTED BY: TYLER BROWN & DARYL CLEROUX.

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Around the Atlantic

FINALLY, THE DIVISION’S HIGHEST HONOUR, AN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WAS PRESENTED TO DNS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FILL RATE, LEAD TIMES, PRODUCT SUPPORT, AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT. JOHN COYLE, AND STEVE STOCKDALE ACCEPTED THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF DNS.

STEVE STOCKDALE RECOGNITION AWARD

WASTE OIL FURNACES THAT BURN HOT & SAVE MONEY!

S NLES STAI EL!!

STE

Tel: (506) 458-9322

Fax: (506) 459-6110

360 Route 10, Fredericton, NB E3A 7E1 idealequipment@outlook.com www.idealequipmentltd.com Still have Cleanburn parts and service for our customers!

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MARK WOODBURN - RECOGNITION AWARD

ATA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER hoping to start off my career in May 2020 as an acute care nurse because I believe the fast pace and continuous learning environment will allow me to continue to

grow into the nurse I aspire to be. “ – Sophie Pace Congratulations Sophie and all the best in your future endeavours.

T

HE AUTOMOTIVE TRADES AS‑ SOCIATION IS PLEASED TO AN‑ NOUNCE THAT SOPHIE PACE IS THIS YEAR’S A.T.A. & RETAIL GASOLINE DEALERS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNER. The annual scholarship is for $2000.00 and is awarded to any son or daughter of a member. Sophie is the daughter of retailer Wayne Pace, owner of Tantallon Esso & Sackville Shell.

Sophie is 20 years old and studying nursing at Dalhousie University. “ I did not know I wanted to be a nurse until I was entering my final year of high school. My two older sisters are nurses and my grandmother was a nurse as well. They empowered me and guided me to this profession.

I have always considered myself as a caring, supportive and empathetic individual, and as I go through nursing school I see these qualities continue to grow. My devotion to the field of nursing continues to grow as I challenge myself and pursue new learning with experience. I am autoatlantic.com

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41

MORE THAN JUS LARGEST NETW RIGHT IN YOUR NEW BRUNSWICK

NAPA HAMPTON, NB 548 Main St., Hampton, NB, E5N 6C3

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NAPA / CMAX MONCTON, NB 300 Baig Blvd., Suite C5 Moncton, NB, E1E 1C8

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NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

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NAPA PLACENTIA, NL 44 Prince William Dr., P.O. Box 39, Placentia, NL, A0B 2Y0

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ST QUALITY PARTS, ATLANTIC CANADA’S WORK OF AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS IS NEIGHBOURHOOD! NAPA CHESTER, NS 3764 Hwy 3, P.O. Box 399, Chester, NS, B0J 1J0

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NAPA ELMSDALE, NS 601 Highway 2, Unit A, Elmsdale, NS, B2S 1A8

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NAPA LIVERPOOL, NS 157 Bristol Ave, P.O. Box 1540, Liverpool, NS, B0T 1K0

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NAPA / CMAX HALIFAX, NS 3597 Strawberry Hill St., Halifax, NS, B3K 5A8

NAPA TRURO, NS 12 King St., Truro, NS, B2N 3K6

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NAPA SPRYFIELD, NS 390 Herring Cove Rd., Halifax, NS, B3R 1W4

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NAPA SUMMERSIDE, PEI 225 MacEwen Rd., Summerside, PE, C1N 2P4

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NAPA CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI 167 Malpeque Road Charlottetown, PE, C1E 7J9

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NAPA LOURDES-DU-BLANC-SABLON, QC 1515 Camille Marcoux Blvd., P.O. Box 363 Lourdes-du-Blanc-Sablon, QC, G0G 1W0

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NAPA WINDSOR, NS 140 Water St, P.O. Box 817, Windsor, NS, B0N 2T0

902-798-9531

NAPA MIDDLETON, NS 428 Main St, P.O. Box 816, Middleton, NS, B0S 1P0

902-825-4803

NAPA GLACE BAY, NS 122 Reserve St Glace Bay, NS, B1A 4W3

902-849-8581

NAPA ANTIGONISH, NS 52 St. Andrews St., Antigonish, NS, B2G 2H1

902-863-6111

NAPA SACKVILLE, NS 528 Sackville Dr., Unit 9A, Lower Sackville, NS, B4C 2R8

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NAPA SHELBURNE, NS 148 Water St, P.O. Box 711, Shelburne, NS, B0T 1W0

902-875-2522

Expert advice and a wide selection of quality parts!

napacanada.com

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY ADVERTISER

PHONE

INTERNET

Adams Car Wash

1-902-497-7260

adams.carwash@ns.sympatico.ca 27

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1-800-251-8993

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2

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january 2020

HAMPTON NAPA STORE OWNER SINCE DAY ONE

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It’s by no means a stretch to say that Allan Perry’s career has grown with the business he has been in for more than 30 years.

“It was a summer job that I stayed with,” said Perry, who owns and operates the NAPA-affiliated Hampton Auto Supplies in Hampton, N.B. “I started just out of school and I never left.”

That first summer job was in nearby Sussex where he started off as a delivery driver for a NAPA shop there.

A few years later he was asked to open and run the first auto motive store in Hampton, which he did on his own for a year and a half before more employees were hired on.

The NAPA-affiliated business moved and expanded three times before settling into its current location in 2001. Perry has owned the shop since 2006.

He now employs a staff of 10. Not surprisingly, much has changed since he opened the business in 1984.

Perry said a major change has been the technology used to keep track of ever-expanding inventories.

“The biggest change since we started is that we were doing everything by hand back then—spread sheets and spending an hour and a half or two hours a day going through your orders.

That ate up a lot of our day,” he remembered.

“Now we’re doing 10 times as much in a 10th of a time.”

Which is a good thing given that shop inventories have grown in leaps and bounds over the years.

“Back then the automotive industry was simpler. A lot more of the parts fit a lot more vehicles where now you have to work a lot harder to sell a part because there are so many more options,” he said. “You didn’t have to keep as much stuff on the shelf because a lot of things fit more than one vehicle.”

Being connected to the NAPA Auto Parts network means the business has access to NAPA’s many programs and huge inventory of quality auto parts.

The business gets its orders from NAPA’s centrally located Moncton, N.B., warehouse on a daily basis, from Monday to Friday. The owner, who joked he only works half days these days - “6 to 6 every day” - has enjoyed the NAPA affiliation over the course of his career.

“It’s been a family atmosphere for years,” he said.

Crossword Contest

CROSSWORD (ANSWERS IN THE NEXT AUTO & TRUCKING ATLANTIC)

SEPTEMBER 2019 WINNER!

Eileen Durant, of Dieppe, NB is our latest Crossword Puzzle winner! Congratulations on winning your new Rust Check package of goodies. Deadline for entry is November 15th, 2019

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1. Part of the NS experience

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NAPA Guess & Win contest

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